The Los Angeles Lakers walked into Scotiabank Arena needing composure, and the King delivered it. LeBron James’ historic 10-point streak — the legendary 1,297-game run that began on Jan. 6, 2007 — finally ended against the Toronto Raptors, yet the moment felt more defining than disappointing for the Lakers. The finish belonged to Rui Hachimura, whose game-winner reshaped the night and shifted the spotlight.
LeBron James embraced that shift without hesitation. “This is the best way. If it had to end, the perfect ending for the streak is tonight,” the Lakers star told The Athletic. “It’s literally who I am. That’s who I am. … It’s always been about: ‘How can I win the game? How can I make the right play and win the game?’ That streak just happened.”
He didn’t chase points and didn’t force rhythm. He read the floor, trusted the coverage, and made the pass that mattered most. The Raptors loaded the paint, cut off his drives, and dared the Lakers to win through someone else. LeBron accepted the terms. Hachimura answered them. The moment felt calm, almost cinematic — the veteran star choosing the right play, the young forward knocking down the shot that sealed it.
A Lakers win that said more than the box score
Afterward, the Lakers' locker room tone was light. Instead of viewing the streak ending as a loss, the team viewed the win as proof of growth. In many ways, this is how the Lakers want to close games now: with trust, with movement, and with the understanding that LeBron’s impact isn’t measured only in points but in decisions that tilt the court.
Moreover, that truth echoed through his words. The streak was never the mission for LeBron James. Winning was, and still is. So if this is how the Lakers respond on a night when history resets, how high can they climb when everything clicks at once?
